No Ordinary Love
Fresh Faith: The Book of Malachi • Sermon • Submitted
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Introduction
Introduction
I want to share with you from the topic for “No Ordinary Love.”
“No Ordinary Love”
Sade released it in 1992 but God been showing us a different type of Love since the beginning of time.
She said
“I gave you all the love I got
I gave you more than I could give.”
Well I'm glad that God’s love is dependent on the amount of love I can give back. I can never love Him enough and I’m so glad He first loved us!
This four-week series teaches us to love the things that God loves. Through the words of the prophet Malachi, we learn:
God’s love for his people, his name, his covenant, and his messenger. These same passions are to be present in the lives of his people today.
God’s love for his people,
loves. Through the words of the prophet Malachi, we learn God’s love for his people, his
name, his covenant, and his messenger. These same passions are to be present in the
his name,
lives of his people today.
his covenant,
and his messenger.
One hundred years after exile, the Israelites who had returned to Jerusalem were as evil and corrupt as their ancestors.
The people of God have returned from exile in the land of Babylon. However, the conditions are not favorable for them.
conditions are not favorable for them. Only a small portion of the nation has
Only a small portion of the nation has returned, and those now languish amidst poverty, famine, and continuing threats from neighboring nations.
returned, and those now languish amidst poverty, famine, and continuing threats
In the midst of their frustrations they have begun to question God’s goodness, his love, and his ability to keep his promises toward them.
from neighboring nations
Malachi
2 I have loved you, saith the Lord.
Yet ye say, Wherein hast thou loved us?
Was not Esau Jacob’s brother? saith the Lord:
Yet I loved Jacob,
goodness, his love, and his ability to keep his promises toward them (v. 2).
Tragedy and unmet expectations often cause us to question God’s intentions and promises toward us.
promises toward us. Does he still care? Is he still capable of accomplishing what
Does he still care?
Is he still capable of accomplishing what he promised?
he promised? Why is he taking so long? These are normal human reactions to
Why is he taking so long?
These are normal human reactions to extreme circumstances.
extreme circumstances. These seasons, though unpleasant and trying, are times
These seasons, though unpleasant and trying, are times of God’s gracious refining of our faith.
of God’s gracious refining of our faith. Far from reason to abandon faith, these
Far from reason to abandon faith, these unexpected seasons are actually evidence that God’s purpose for his people is still intact.
unexpected seasons are actually evidence that God’s purpose for his people is
Story is told of Corrie and Betsie ten Boom were courageous, compassionate Dutch Christians who helped harbor Jews from the Nazis in Holland during World War 2. After the sisters were arrested for doing so, they were imprisoned at Ravensbruck, a German concentration camp.
The roughness of the guards...
still intact.
In their barracks, they were shown to a series of massive square platforms, stacked three levels high and placed so close together that people had to walk single-file to pass between them. Rancid straw was scattered over the platforms, which served as communal beds for hundreds of women. Corrie and Betsie found they could not sit upright on their own platform without hitting their heads on the deck above them. They lay back, struggling against nausea that swept over them from the reeking straw.
Suddenly Corrie started up, striking her head on the cross-slats above. Something had bitten her leg. “Fleas!” she cried. “Betsie, the place is swarming with them!” Descending from the platform and edging down a narrow aisle, they made their way to a patch of light. “Here! And here another one!” Corrie wailed. “Betsie, how can we live in such a place?”
“Show us. Show us how,” Betsie said matter-of-factly. It took Corrie a moment to realize that her sister was praying. “Corrie!” Betsie then exclaimed excitedly. “He’s given us the answer! Before we asked, as He always does! In the Bible this morning. Where was it? Read that part again!”
Corrie checked to make sure no guards were nearby, then drew from a pouch a small Bible she had managed to smuggle into the concentration camp. “It was in First Thessalonians,” she said, finding the passage in the feeble light. “Here it is: ‘Comfort the frightened, help the weak, be patient with everyone. See that none of you repays evil for evil, but always seek to do good to one another and to all. Rejoice always, pray constantly, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus …’ ” ().
“That’s it!” Betsie interrupted. “That’s His answer. ‘Give thanks in all circumstances!’ That’s what we can do. We can start right now to thank God for every single thing about this barracks!”
Betsie ten Boom
Went on and “Thank you,” Betsie continued on serenely, “for the fleas and for …”
“That’s it!” Betsie interrupted. “That’s His answer. ‘Give thanks in all circumstances!’ That’s what we can do. We can start right now to thank God for every single thing about this barracks!”
That was too much for Corrie. She cut in on her sister: “Betsie, there’s no way even God can make me grateful for a flea.”
“ ‘Give thanks in all circumstances,” Betsie corrected. “It doesn’t say, ‘in pleasant circumstances.’ Fleas are part of this place where God has put us.”
The roughness of the guards...
“You know we’ve never understood why we had so much freedom in the big room,” Betsie said, referring to the part of the barracks where the sleeping platforms were. “Well—I’ve found out. This afternoon there was confusion in my knitting group about sock sizes, so we asked the supervisor to come and settle it. But she wouldn’t. She wouldn’t step through the door and neither would the guards. And you know why?” Betsie could not keep the triumph from her voice as she exclaimed, “Because of the fleas! That’s what she said: ‘That place is crawling with fleas!’ ”
Even when faced with deeply trying and discouraging circumstances, we can identify numerous blessings that the Lord continues to pour into our lives. Some of those blessings come as a result of the difficulties we’re facing.
These ladies learned how seemingly difficult circumstances can actually be evidence of God’s love and favor rather than his anger and judgment.
evidence of God’s love and favor rather than his anger and judgment.
God’s response to his children’s complaint directs their attention toward their neighbors, the nation of Edom (v. 4).
4 Whereas Edom saith, We are impoverished,
But we will return and build the desolate places;
Thus saith the Lord of hosts,
They shall build, but I will throw down;
And they shall call them, The border of wickedness,
And, The people against whom the Lord hath indignation for ever.
Malachi
While the nation of Israel was ravaged by the Assyrian and Babylonian Empires, Edom remained fairly intact.
neighbors, the nation of Edom (v. 4). While the nation of Israel was ravaged by
While the nation of Israel was ravaged by
While Israel now struggled to rebuild, Edom appeared prosperous.
the Assyrian and Babylonian Empires, Edom remained fairly intact. While Israel
However, God declares that his hand of blessing and his promised presence are only with Israel, whereas his judgment and anger are continually against Edom.
now struggled to rebuild, Edom appeared prosperous. However, God declares
that his hand of blessing and his promised presence are only with Israel,
Wealth and prosperity are not always signs of God’s blessing and difficulty is not always a sign of his judgment.
whereas his judgment and anger are continually against Edom. Wealth and
prosperity are not always signs of God’s blessing and difficulty is not always a
God is a loving Father who chastens the children he cares for.
sign of his judgment. God is a loving Father who chastens the children he cares
Through this process, the eyes of Israel will be opened to see the greatness of their God (v. 5).
for.
His Love, His Mercy and His Grace...
their God (v. 5).
First of all, Its No Ordinary Love because its Full of Compassion.
First of all, Its No Ordinary Love because its Full of Compassion.
Compassion motivates people to go out of their way to help.
Compassion is defined as a feeling of wanting to help someone who is sick, hungry, or in trouble.
Compassion involves "feeling for another" and is a precursor to empathy, the "feeling as another"
The Bible talks of a God who has compassion for Israel.
It tells of a Savior who suffers for the world, and it asks us to live and act compassionately.
13 Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.
John 15:13
10 Though the mountains be shaken
and the hills be removed,
yet my unfailing love for you will not be shaken
nor my covenant of peace be removed,”
says the Lord, who has compassion on you.
13 Sing, O heavens; and be joyful, O earth;
And break forth into singing, O mountains:
For the Lord hath comforted his people,
And will have mercy upon his afflicted.
34 And Jesus, when he came out, saw much people, and was moved with compassion toward them, because they were as sheep not having a shepherd: and he began to teach them many things.
Much, Many and Often
Great Love - loves in-spite of you.
Second of all, Its No Ordinary Love because its Rich in Mercy.
Second of all, Its No Ordinary Love because its Rich in Mercy.
Great Love - Loves sacrificially.
Great Love - Loves eternally
Great Love - is love that is not fickle and too short.
8 But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.
Second of all, Its No Ordinary Love because its Rich in Mercy.
Second of all, Its No Ordinary Love because its Rich in Mercy.
Second of all, Its No Ordinary Love because its Full of Mercy.
4 But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us,
Ephesians 2:4
Rich, abounding in, wealthy
22 It is of the Lord’s mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not.
23 They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness.
Mercy - God withholds what we justly deserve.
There is purpose for God's mercy :
We can change.
God wants us to be welcomed into the Kingdom.
Mercy is part of the character of God, who wants it to be part of our character.
Lastly, Its No Ordinary Love because it’s Wrapped in His Grace.
Lastly, Its No Ordinary Love because it’s Wrapped in His Grace.
Grace is undeserved
The grace of God is given to all, freely.
God gives you the faith that sets you straight, and gives you the Spirit that changes you so you have Christ's goodness.
Thus, it is God's grace that lets loose the riches of God's love.
Through many dangers, toils, and snares
I have already come
'tis grace hath brought me safe thus far,
and grace will lead me home.
---- "Amazing Grace", by John Newton
4 But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, 5 Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;) 6 And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus:
